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Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference: EP/I015930/1
Title: Utilising graphene for biosensing
Principal Investigator: Hedley, Dr J
Other Investigators:
McNeil, Professor C Gallacher, Dr BJ
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Dr N Keegan
Project Partners:
Department: Mechanical and Systems Engineering
Organisation: Newcastle University
Scheme: Standard Research
Starts: 22 November 2010 Ends: 21 March 2012 Value (£): 202,223
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:
Materials Characterisation Materials Processing
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:
Healthcare
Related Grants:
Panel History:
Panel DatePanel NameOutcome
26 Aug 2010 Cross-Disciplinary Feasibility Account 2010 Announced
Summary on Grant Application Form
From rapid, early diagnosis of disease to detection of biological and chemical agents in homeland security, food analysis and environmental monitoring, biosensor technologies are a front-line tool in the modern arsenal of point-of-need analytical systems. In the ever expanding area of biosensor development towards faster, cheaper, more accurate, more reliable sensor systems there has been an expanding interest in the exploitation of nanomaterials and, in particular, the employment of carbon nanotubes as transduction elements. Recently the emergence of the nanomaterial graphene, which is effectively an unrolled nanotube, has become an attractive alternative material as it has a number of significant potential advantages for exploitation in the biosensor arena. Due to the atomic thickness planar nature of graphene, sensors based on its unique properties have the potential to be extremely sensitive. Studies into the engineering/biological interface of graphene sensors thus open up the possibilities for a range of novel and exciting studies.Through the use of this flexible funding programme, the team will utilise the unique properties of graphene to investigate a series of feasibility studies directed towards biomedical applications. The project will kick off with an initial series of meetings between engineers and research groups in the Faculty of Medical Sciences to establish the project ideas exploiting graphene for biosensing. Preliminary discussions have already yielded a range of areas to be explored including point-of-care diagnostic systems and drug development. A variety of sensors will be fabricated on each wafer, thereby maximising the number of feasibility studies that may be explored during this project. Midway through the project and after initial results are obtained, each study will look to receive input from healthcare professionals, so further development of the technology may be targeted to current clinical needs. It is the ultimate aim of the project to assemble multidisciplinary teams to develop sensors demonstrating a step change in technology for clinical applications and move initial demonstrated concepts into prototype sensor systems.
Key Findings
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Potential use in non-academic contexts
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Impacts
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Summary
Date Materialised
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Further Information:  
Organisation Website: http://www.ncl.ac.uk